Assessment of knowledge, attitude and practice of mothers/caregivers on mycotoxin contamination of infants and young children porridge in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Abstract

Mycotoxin contamination in maize-based foods poses a significant public health risk, especially for infants and young children (IYC), yet limited data exist on caregiver knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This study assessed KAP among 428 mothers and caregivers in South Kivu through a cross-sectional survey conducted in February-March 2024 using a multistage sampling method across eight health zones. Structured questionnaires captured data, which were analysed using SPSS v26 and R software. Findings show that knowledge of mycotoxin contamination was generally fair and associated with geographic location (OR = 4.195, p < 0.000), household size (OR = 1.106, p = 0.036) and education level (OR = 1.04, p = 0.04). Attitudes were largely positive and also linked to location (OR = 0.591, p = 0.036). Most caregivers practiced safe food handling: 90.3% stored flour in ventilated areas, 93.3% shelled maize manually and 89.3% pre-treated flour, though adoption of nixtamalization was low. Better knowledge and attitudes correlated with improved practices. The results highlight the need for targeted nutrition education to enhance food safety and reduce mycotoxin exposure in complementary foods for IYC in the DRC.